DESCRIPTIVE TEXT NARRATIVE FOR SMOKE/DUST OBSERVED IN SATELLITE IMAGERY
THROUGH 0335Z February 22, 2024
SMOKE: Central U.S/Southeastern U.S/Northern Gulf of Mexico… An area of thin density smoke with several areas of moderate smoke due to heavy seasonal fire activity was observed covering an area from central Texas, northeastward through Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri continuing north into southern Michigan and the Great Lakes. The smoke was also visible throughout the southeastern U.S into northern Virginia, extending just off the coastal Atlantic, generally moving southwestward. Moderate to even dense smoke was seen in the Gulf States, moving southwest into the northern Gulf of Mexico. AEROSOL/SMOKE… Gulf of Mexico/Southern/Eastern Mexico/Southern Bay of Campeche/Central America/Pacific Ocean south of Mexico… An area of light density aerosol from a composite of smoke due to agricultural burning, volcanic ash and industrial sources was noted over most of the Gulf of Mexico, the Southern Bay of Campeche, southern Mexico, the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern/eastern Mexico and northwestern Central America. BLOWING DUST… Northern Mexico into West Texas… Moderate blowing dust can be seen originating in northern Mexico, this dust is moving generally northeast in direction into southeast New Mexico and western Texas as evening approached. New Mexico… Two areas of blowing dust can be seen in New Mexico today. Moderate to even thick blowing dust originating in White Sands National Park, moving northeast in direction into the Texas panhandle as evening approached. A second area of blowing dust can be seen in central New Mexico blowing east, remaining within the state’s border. Willkens THIS TEXT PRODUCT IS PRIMARILY INTENDED TO DESCRIBE SIGNIFICANT AREAS OF SMOKE ASSOCIATED WITH ACTIVE FIRES AND SMOKE WHICH HAS BECOME DETACHED FROM THE FIRES AND DRIFTED SOME DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE SOURCE FIRE, TYPICALLY OVER THE COURSE OF ONE OR MORE DAYS. AREAS OF BLOWING DUST ARE ALSO DESCRIBED. USERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VIEW A GRAPHIC DEPICTION OF THESE AND OTHER PLUMES WHICH ARE LESS EXTENSIVE AND STILL ATTACHED TO THE SOURCE FIRE IN VARIOUS GRAPHIC FORMATS ON OUR WEB SITE: JPEG map: https://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/land/fire/currenthms.jpg Smoke data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Smoke_Polygons Fire data: https://satepsanone.nesdis.noaa.gov/pub/FIRE/web/HMS/Fire_Points ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS REGARDING THIS PRODUCT SHOULD BE SENT TO: SSDFireTeam@noaa.gov